We've noticed you're using a version of Internet Explorer that is out
of date and may not support all the features on our website. For a
better browsing experience, we suggest upgrading to a newer version
of Internet Explorer.

Building & Construction

At DuPont, we're focused on dynamic science that generates real-world solutions. That's why DuPont is at the forefront of building science, with brands you depend on, like Tyvek®, SentryGlas®, Corian® solid surfaces, Zodiaq® quartz surfaces and Kevlar®.

Electronics

With a deep understanding of materials science, a commitment to technology leadership, a wide range of process expertise and a long history of innovation, DuPont offers the industry’s broadest array of high performance electronic materials.

Energy

With the world’s population projected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, now is the time to prepare for a secure energy future. We invite you to collaborate with our global teams to find science-driven, sustainable energy solutions.

Food & Beverage

At DuPont, we're putting science to work in the food and beverage industry — improving the nutritional value of food, ensuring food safety, and finding smart, sustainable solutions to feed a growing population.

Health Care & Medical

DuPont offers a broad range of healthcare products and high-performance materials that help create safer healthcare environments, contribute to innovations in medical devices and help protect the health of patients and healthcare providers worldwide.

Marine

Mining

Dupont Mining products and services help improve extraction, personal protection, safety and more. Processing and transporting of highly abrasive and corrosive, bitumen, slurry and tailings require the innovation and technology that DuPont can provide.

Safety & Protection

In the face of growing global industrialization, DuPont takes safety and protection seriously. Learn how DuPont continues to improve upon its materials and workplace safety performance to help keep all of us safe in the toughest conditions.

Fourth Auto Innovation Center Opens in Detroit

DuPont opened its 8th Innovation Center with a thought-leader panel discussing how innovation and collaboration dominate the auto industry landscape. This is especially important today as the industry races to adopt multiple technologies that improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions.

Welcome to the ‘Global Collaboratory’
When DuPont connected the Troy, Michigan, application development facility to its growing and global network of Innovation Centers, it took aim squarely connecting materials science to the needs of the global automotive industry.

The issues here are plentiful:

Fuel economy and emission reduction regulations around the world are driving the need for greater efficiency, reduced vehicle and component weight, alternative fuels and alternative drive vehicles

Our growing population has ever-increasing energy needs

An aggressive timeline of new-vehicle introductions is increasing the demand for innovation

“We are in an industry where the clock-speed on innovation is getting faster and faster and the only way to bring innovation to market is for us to lay all our cards on the table, face up,” said DuPont Chief Innovation Officer Tom Connelly. “We need to be more open about our capabilities and advanced-materials solutions as a means of inviting rich conversations about customer and consumer needs. Only then can we get down to the work of delivering solutions as fast as possible.”

That’s the essence of DuPont’s Innovation Centers. Drawing from experience that the most sustainable innovations are developed with customers along the global value chain, DuPont invested in the means to both facilitate the type of interactions that lead to breakthrough applications and in facilities to stimulate new thinking.

The Innovation Centers are a part of DuPont’s Global Collaboratory concept, which refers to “a center without walls in which researchers can perform their research without regard to physical location.”

“DuPont has been an amazing company in creating knowledge – how do we accelerate that knowledge into the products and processes?” asked thought leader David Cole, who was one of the automotive industry thought leaders invited to the opening ceremony to discuss how the global automotive industry can dramatically shift to solve critical issues. “Collaboration. Innovation. Teamwork. It’s a way of life. Collaboration and the idea of a collaboratory here is perfect.”

The center in Troy, Michigan – the 4th focused on the automotive industry and the 8th globally offers:

Collaboration space with videoconferencing for real-time idea and knowledge exchange with more than 150 DuPont research laboratories and application development centers, and 9,500 DuPont scientists

Innovation kiosks with applications and concepts to stimulate new ideas to solve challenges

An adjacent application development center for rapid prototypes, material testing and proof of concept

Racing to Get Multiple Technologies to Market Simultaneously
The auto industry is no stranger to balancing regulations, safety, consumer demand and cost. With many of these demands serving contradicting requirements – more performance with improved fuel economy; advanced in-vehicle electronics with simplicity of use; more innovative ideas but shorter lead time to market – the challenges can feel overwhelming.

“We are the most complex industry in the world, yet no one knows that,” said Cole during the panel discussions, which focused on:

Innovation in context with consumer expectations, government regulations and globalization

Challenges and breakthroughs needed to meet new 54.5 mpg regulations – efficiency, lightweighting, hybrids, biofuels and automotive’s role in the energy equation.